


I Have to Go

by TheDinosaurNerd



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: AU, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-05
Updated: 2017-11-05
Packaged: 2019-01-29 23:32:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12641556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheDinosaurNerd/pseuds/TheDinosaurNerd
Summary: What if Mike, Lucas, and Dustin were still in the middle school when Eleven woke up?





	I Have to Go

“El?”

Eleven woke up with a gasp, coughing as she sat up. She looked around the room, which was almost the same as the room she had been in with the others. The walls were covered by vines, and strange particles drifted through the air like ash.

“Eleven?”

Eleven looked up when she heard Mike’s voice. “Mike?” she whispered. She stood up and stumbled towards the door, and into the hallway. Mike’s voice echoed through the Upside-Down again. “Mike?” she called out again. After wandering through the middle school for a short while, she saw a glowing light at the end of the hallway. It must have been where the Demogorgon crossed over into the normal world. Eleven approached the light and looked through it, seeing on the other side Hawkins Middle School. There were three figures moving down the hallway. Eleven’s eyes widened and she fell backwards, fearing the worst.

“Lucas, come on. She could be in there! We have to look!”

Eleven turned back around to the portal, where the voice had come from. It was Mike. She reached her hand through the slimy gate and heard a gasp of surprise on the other side, before someone’s hand grabbed her own.

“It’s El! Guys, help me out!”

Eleven felt herself being pulled through the gate, and then the four of them fell onto the ground, safe in the normal world. Eleven looked up and met Mike’s eyes, which were still red from crying.

“El?” he asked, as his mouth curled up into a relieved smile.

 3 seconds later, the four of them were piled together in a big hug.

* * *

 

Mike and El sat outside the school, El leaning against him like in the gym earlier. Dustin and Lucas had agreed to give them some space, given everything that had happened. “Dustin, I think we should give these two _lovebirds_ a little breathing room, don’t you think?” Lucas had said, snickering at Mike’s embarrassment. The two were currently walking around the school, firing leftover rocks with Lucas’ wrist rocket.

“Mike?”

Mike looked over at El, who had a curious look on her face.

“Yeah?”

“What is lovebirds?”

Mike immediately felt himself turn red. “Uh… well, you see, uh… lovebirds are two people who like each other. Like, more than friends.”

Eleven nodded. “Oh.” She thought for a moment, then spoke again. “I like you, Mike. More than friends.” She gave a nervous smile, blushing slightly.

Mike, on the other hand, was both unbelievably happy and unbelievably mortified. “Oh, uh… I like you too, El. I like you a lot.”

They were both silent after that, and Mike couldn’t help but notice that they were both leaning in closer, and-

The two both looked up at the sound of sirens, which sounded to be getting closer. Mike could see the blinking police lights as what looked to be a huge convoy of police cars and ambulances approached the middle school. Mike and El both stood up, as Lucas and Dustin ran back around the school towards them.

“Mike, I have to go.”

Mike looked back at El, slipping into despair as he realized that she was right. “But, El… we just got you back. _I_ just got you back.”

“Mike, they might hurt you. I need to go.”

“But, El… please. I don’t want to lose you again.”

El felt the tears forming in her eyes. “Mike… I’m sorry. You’ll see me again.”

Mike bit his lip. “Promise?”

Eleven smiled sadly and nodded. “Promise.” She turned and started to run for the woods, as the police cars pulled up by the school.

Mike fell back against the wall, feeling lost. “Goodbye, El,” he whispered, as he too began to cry.

* * *

 

“Michael, we know it’s hard to accept, but the stories she told you weren’t true.”

Mike sighed. This was complete bullshit. Eleven wasn’t some deceiving, manipulating liar. She was a kid, for crying out loud. She had saved their lives. She had saved them all.

“Where is she, Michael?”

Mike looked up at the ceiling, then back down at the agents. “I don’t know, okay? I don’t know. And even if I did, I wouldn’t tell you. I would _never_ tell you.” It was perhaps the truest thing he had ever said.

* * *

 

**One Month Later**

Mike was sitting in the basement, as usual. It was Christmas, but the others were busy until their campaign in the evening, so Mike was alone. He picked up his supercomm and turned it on, and was about to speak until he heard a knock at the door upstairs. He heard his mom go to open it, and was surprised at the voice he heard next.

“Mrs. Wheeler. Merry Christmas.”

“Oh, Chief Hopper. How can I help you?”

“Actually, I need to speak with your son. It’s important.”

“Oh, well… he should be in the basement.”

Mike heard footsteps moving towards the staircase before the door opened. Chief Hopper stepped down into the basement, snow still stuck to his coat. “Hey, kid. There’s something I need to show you. Get a coat and meet me out by my truck. It’s out front.” Hopper then left through the basement door before Mike could ask any questions.

                A minute later, Mike was walking out the door towards Hopper’s truck, where the chief was waiting. “Get in,” he muttered. Mike climbed into the truck as Hopper got into the driver’s seat. Once the doors were closed, Hopper sighed. “Kid, I know this is gonna seem weird, but I need you to put this on.” He pulled out a blindfold and handed it to Mike, who raised an eyebrow. “It’s important,” Hopper said, louder this time. Mike took the blindfold and put it on, as Hopper started the truck and pulled away from the Wheeler household.

* * *

 

“Alright, we’re here. You can take the blindfold off.” Mike pulled the cloth from over his eyes to see that the truck was parked in the middle of the woods. He could see a cabin in the distance, between the trees. "I know the blindfold is... questionable, to say the least, but I couldn't have you knowing where this is." The two got out of the truck and began walking towards the cabin. Shortly before they reached the front steps, Hopper lifted his leg over something. “Be careful, there’s a tripwire there.” Mike saw it and stepped over it. Hopper went up to the door and knocked (in an oddly specific way), and Mike heard the locks click open. Hopper opened the door quietly, and let Mike in before him. His eyes widened at who he saw. “I found her in the woods the other day,” Hopper said from behind. “I wasn’t going to tell you, but I know that you knew she was still alive, so lying to you wouldn’t put you in any less danger than you’re in already. Besides, she was insistent. Merry Christmas, kid.”

Eleven was standing in the middle of the room, a half-eaten Eggo in her hand. She smiled widely at him, and he couldn’t help but smile back.

**Author's Note:**

> Knowing that Eleven got out of the Upside-Down the same night that they all got separated was depressing, so I wrote this. Hope you enjoyed.
> 
> Comments are welcome.


End file.
